Proteus

Really excited that Ed Key of Twisted Tree Games is seriously looking at adding some accessibility features to the wonderful Proteus. Meanwhile, you can explore this beautiful world using just two-switches. Can't wait to see where this goes.

Rainbow Britain

Rainbow Britain is a beautiful collection of photos that make me proud. The music track is Hannibal by Caribouband which I discovered via a Portishead mix-tape.


Links via: Yuriko Parsons and Brandon Boyer.

The Skoog Reviewed

It's been a bit of a labour of love getting a review up on the Skoog, at the Accessible GameBase. It's a musical instrument that would be as at home in the musical armoury of Bjork and Aphex Twin, as in schools and homes around the world. It's fantastic fun, and with the right set-up, really easy to create nice sounding music with.

Alongside a new Electronic Soup Podcast, there's some "Dice Music Systems" for Skoog users. These give people who are unable to make clear choices a way to randomly pick a musical starting point to perform within. Roll a die, follow the rule set, roll again to select a time-length guide, then perform. Easy!

肢体不自由 特別支援 教育

Continuing the international affordable assistive technology riff, comes two fascinating Japanese sites. First up is Educational Ideas for Q-Brittle, run by "moroQ" a talented disabled teacher of learning and physically disabled kids in Tokyo. He has 91 posts to date on a variety of low-cost imaginative switch adapted gadgets.


Secondly, is the PowerPoint bo-yd's style site. One thing I immediately loved was this simple power-point slide show for splitting a water-melon with a rolled-up newspaper, or whatever you use best to activate a switch. It gives the advice to repeat the number of whole water-melon slides, if you want to make it harder to crack open. What fun, and a lot kinder than the alternative black cat whacking game they have.

Accesibilidad Digital Tecnologias de Apoyo

I've just been made aware of a brilliant organisation in Columbia, Latin America, working in the field of technology and affordable accessibility: Accesibilidad Digital Tecnologias de Apoyo.

It was great to see Whacka Monty Mole being played with a unique lorry-switch. Really like their foot controlled mouse, that uses a glued in plastic spoon and tupper-ware switch boxes. I highly recommend taking a look around their highly professional site, photos and YouTube videos whether or not you can understand Spanish. Fantástico!

Ken Yankelevitz - 30 Years of Enabling Disabled Gamers

Ken Yankelevitz is one of the pioneers of accessible gaming, having started back in 1981 when Atari approached him seeking help for a disabled teenager. He is rightly being celebrated for 30 years of fantastic service to the cause. Bravo!

To add to this tribute, I've cribbed the following interview with Ken from Peter A McWiliams' 1984 book "Personal Computers and the Disabled"...


Ken Yankelevitz is a flight simulation engineer for McDonnell Douglas. In his spare time he makes joysticks for the disabled. But aren't joysticks for playing games? Do disabled people want to use computers to play games? As Ken explains, "Disabled people are just like everybody else - especially kids."

And kids seem to be Ken's speciality. Although disabled adults appreciate the opportunity to play Pac Man or chess or Decathlon, Ken seems to take special delight in helping disabled children control the hopping Qbert, or walking with Big Bird down Sesame Street.

Ken works regularly with the younger members of the Rancho Las Amigos rehabilitation center in Downey, California. "Some of them use the same type device as the game controller to operate their wheelchairs," Ken explains. "Playing games teaches them accuracy and coordination, which they can use in steering the chairs. It can also be good exercise." So, there are practical benefits to game playing. "Sure," say Ken, "but mostly it's just fun." It's also fun to watch disabled youngsters trounce able-bodied friends at video games.

Ken's controllers are designed for use with movements of either the hand, head, mouth, foot or tongue. They attach to Atari, Sears, and ColecoVision video games, and to Atari 400/800 and Commodore VIC-20 computers.

Trying to get game controller devices for his quadriplegic friends proved impossible, so Ken invented some. He demonstrated them to Atari. They were not interested in marketing them, but anytime a disabled person called Atari looking for a special joystick, Atari gave them Ken's name.

He formed KY (Ken Yankelevitz) Enterprises in Long Beach, California. Yet to show a profit (Ken's special controllers are generally less expensive than regular mass-produced joysticks), Ken refers to the entire activity as, "An expensive hobby." His wife, Diane, takes part in the family hobby, too.

The controllers can, of course, be used for more than playing games. ("More" implies that game playing is lowly and other computer activities are not. This is not my intent. Recreation, it seems to me, is as valuable as creation. Let's say that controllers can be used for purposes other than playing games.)

Many educational programs use the joystick as an interactive device - selecting letters, numbers, pictures and so on. The controller can be used as a cursor movement device. The keyboard can be used - perhaps with a mouth stick - to enter information, and the mouth-activated controller for zipping about the file while editing.  The controller becomes a sort of mouth mouse.

One of the exciting things about the mouth controllers is how inexpensively an education/communication/game system can be assembled for a disabled person. Video games or VIC-20 computers cost about $100, and the less expensive Atari runs $200 or so. Add one of Ken's controllers ($20 to $65), buy a few cartridges, hook it up to any television, and it's set to go. $120 to $265 may seem like a lot to some budgets - especially considering the other financial obligations disabilities bring - but such a configuration offers a great deal of fun and learning for a price lower than most people think a computer especially adapted for a disabled person might cost.

Were I writing this as a feature piece for a local newscast, I might end it with something syrupy like: "Ken Yankelevitz helps simulate flight for grown-ups during the day, so that he can stimulate flights of fancy for young people at night."

Fortunately for us all, this is not a TV news feature. I can close this piece by simply saying, Good work, Ken. Film at eleven.

Read more at Yahoo News, and found via Hack-a-Day.

Hope Springs Episode 5: There's Something About Billy

"Love is in the air at Hope Springs! Jack tries to make the move on a newcomer, but will his efforts be thwarted by another amorous suitor? Cunning plans abound and rebound in this comic love triangle from SYMO!"

Nintendo Wii U - Accessibility Nightmare?

Don't know what you think, but the new Nintendo Wii U looks like an accessibility nightmare for many. Maybe I'm getting old and grumpy but that looks like it will shut out many gamers. Seems I'm not the only one peeking over at Rob McCaully's thoughts at AbleGamers.

Links Mish-Mash

Too many links, and not enough time to do them justice. Here's part one of your links lucky-dip selection...


Multi-Toe Interaction YouTube video.
Invisible Mouse YouTube clip.
EASe - Games aimed at people on the Austistic Spectrum. Web-site's a bit drab, but interesting concepts.
AblePlay - Toys rated for accessibility in a searchable database.
Accessible Xbox 360 Controller - Designed by Gavin Philips and made by Ben Heck for a guy with Musular Dystrophy.
Sexuality and Learning Disabilities - A book packed with empathetic and human advice.
Visit Salem - A Video Travelogue game from 7-128.com.
Barcelona Conference Presentations - Many wonderful Game Accessibility links.
AbleNet Switch Toys - Switch scissors and other bits and bobs.
 
Links via: Gavin Philips, Javier Mairena, Sandra Uhling, Sheri Rubin, Tim Chase

XtendPlay - Joypad Mount

Forgetting the daft viral nudey video that Xwerx have put out, their XtendPlay grip system for joypads could be a serious help for those having jippy hand cramps.


Added to the Mounts section of the Accessible Gaming Shop. Thanks to Techni Myoko for the link.

The Beginning And The End